Baldness in men is related to the male hormone dihydrotestosterone, which causes old hairs on the scalp to be replaced by progressively shorter and thinner hairs in a predictable pattern, beginning at the temples and crown of the head.

What causes balding at the crown?

According to the American Hair Loss Association, 95 percent of hair loss in men is caused by androgenetic alopecia. This inherited trait that tends to give guys a receding hairline and a thinning crown is caused by genetic sensitivity to a byproduct of testosterone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

Why does the top of your head go bald first?

The most recent hypothesis suggests that the hair loss process begins during puberty, when growth of the skull and the muscles in the forehead and neck increases the tension in a tight band of tissue stretching over the top of the head. ... Some experts believe that DHT impacts the hair follicles directly.